Estimated Use of Water in the United States in 2000

50 years of water use information, 1950-2000

Back

Revision History

Revision Date: 7 February, 2005

General description of revisions:

Final PDF version was included.
Information on availability of printed report was added.
Errata page was added for printed report.
Added links to online data and to the Guidelines for Preparation of State Water-Use Estimates.
Minor editorial changes to the Glossary.

Revision Date: 11 May, 2004

General description of revisions:

PDF version (draft) was added.
Added Foreword.
Revised data range on Figure 6a from 250-300 Mgal/d to 200-300 Mgal/d.
Revised headings on Table 13.

Revision Date: 12 April, 2004

General description of revisions:

An error was found in the New York population served by public supply, self-supplied population, and self-supplied domestic water withdrawals.
On Table 4, "Ground-water withdrawals by water-use category, 2000", the column for Thermoelectric Power--Saline was removed from the table. The column showed all 0 values, although some saline ground-water withdrawal for this category is discussed in the text. Table 4 is now consistent with the data shown in Tables 12 and 13.

Detailed description of revisions:

Abstract

Location	Revised	Original version
First paragraph	Fresh ground-water withdrawals (83.3 Bgal/d) during 2000 were 14 percent more than during 1985.	Fresh ground-water withdrawals (83.4 Bgal/d) during 2000 were 14 percent more than during 1985.
Fourth paragraph	During 2000, about 85 percent of the population in the United States obtained drinking water from public suppliers, compared to 62 percent during 1950.	During 2000, about 84 percent of the population in the United States obtained drinking water from public suppliers, compared to 62 percent during 1950.

Total Water Use

Location	Revised	Original version
First paragraph	Total ground-water withdrawals were 84,500 Mgal/d, of which 99 percent was freshwater.	Total ground-water withdrawals were 84,600 Mgal/d, of which 99 percent was freshwater.

Total Water Use--Table 1

Revised:

STATE	POPULATION (in thousands)	WITHDRAWALS (in million gallons per day)									WITHDRAWALS (in thousand acre-feet per year)
		By source and type						Total			WITHDRAWALS (in thousand acre-feet per year)
		Ground water			Surface water			Total			Total
		Fresh	Saline	Total	Fresh	Saline	Total	Fresh	Saline	Total	Fresh	Saline	Total

New York	19,000	893	0	893	6,190	5,010	11,200	7,080	5,010	12,100	7,940	5,610	13,600

TOTAL	285,000	83,300	1,260	84,500	262,000	61,000	323,000	345,000	62,300	408,000	387,000	69,800	457,000

Original version:

STATE	POPULATION (in thousands)	WITHDRAWALS (in million gallons per day)									WITHDRAWALS (in thousand acre-feet per year)
		By source and type						Total			WITHDRAWALS (in thousand acre-feet per year)
		Ground water			Surface water			Total			Total
		Fresh	Saline	Total	Fresh	Saline	Total	Fresh	Saline	Total	Fresh	Saline	Total

New York	19,000	1,020	0	1,020	6,190	5,010	11,200	7,210	5,010	12,200	8,080	5,610	13,700

TOTAL	285,000	83,400	1,260	84,600	262,000	61,000	323,000	346,000	62,300	408,000	387,000	69,800	457,000

Total Water Use--Table 2

Revised:

	PUBLIC SUPPLY	DOMESTIC	IRRIGATION	LIVE- STOCK	AQUA- CULTURE	INDUSTRIAL		MINING		THERMOELECTRIC POWER		TOTAL
STATE	Fresh	Fresh	Fresh	Fresh	Fresh	Fresh	Saline	Fresh	Saline	Fresh	Saline	Fresh	Saline	Total

New York	2,570	142	35.5	—	—	297	0	—	—	4,040	5,010	7,080	5,010	12,100

TOTAL	43,300	3,590	137,000	1,760	3,700	18,500	1,280	2,010	1,490	136,000	59,500	345,000	62,300	408,000

Original version:

	PUBLIC SUPPLY	DOMESTIC	IRRIGATION	LIVE- STOCK	AQUA- CULTURE	INDUSTRIAL		MINING		THERMOELECTRIC POWER		TOTAL
STATE	Fresh	Fresh	Fresh	Fresh	Fresh	Fresh	Saline	Fresh	Saline	Fresh	Saline	Fresh	Saline	Total

New York	2,570	270	35.5	—	—	297	0	—	—	4,040	5,010	7,210	5,010	12,200

TOTAL	43,300	3,720	137,000	1,760	3,700	18,500	1,280	2,010	1,490	136,000	59,500	346,000	62,300	408,000

Total Water Use--Table 4

Revised:

	PUBLIC SUPPLY	DOMESTIC	IRRIGATION	LIVE- STOCK	AQUA- CULTURE	INDUSTRIAL		MINING		THERMO-ELECTRIC POWER	TOTAL
STATE	Fresh	Fresh	Fresh	Fresh	Fresh	Fresh	Saline	Fresh	Saline	Fresh	Fresh	Saline	Total

New York	583	142	23.3	—	—	145	0	—	—	0	893	0	893

TOTAL	16,000	3,530	56,900	1,010	1,060	3,570	6.51	767	1,260	409	83,300	1,260	84,500

Original version:

	PUBLIC SUPPLY	DOMESTIC	IRRIGATION	LIVE- STOCK	AQUA- CULTURE	INDUSTRIAL		MINING		THERMOELECTRIC POWER		TOTAL
STATE	Fresh	Fresh	Fresh	Fresh	Fresh	Fresh	Saline	Fresh	Saline	Fresh	Saline	Fresh	Saline	Total

New York	583	270	23.3	—	—	145	0	—	—	0	0	1,020	0	1,020

TOTAL	16,000	3,660	56,900	1,010	1,060	3,570	6.51	767	1,260	409	0	83,400	1,260	84,600

Total Water Use--Figure 4

Revised	Original version
New York is in the range of 120,000 to 150,000 million gallons per day per square mile	New York was in the range of 150,000 to 220,000 million gallons per day per square mile

Public supply

Location	Revised	Original version
Second paragraph	About 242 million people depended on water from public suppliers. The majority of the water for public supply (63 percent) was withdrawn from surface sources. Between 1995 and 2000, public-supply withdrawals and the population served increased 8 percent. The population served as a percentage of the total U.S. population was about 85 percent in 2000.	More than 240 million people depended on water from public suppliers. The majority of the water for public supply (63 percent) was withdrawn from surface sources. Between 1995 and 2000, public-supply withdrawals increased 8 percent and the population served increased 7 percent. However, since 1995, the population served as a percentage of the total U.S. population remained unchanged at about 84 percent.
Third paragraph	California, Texas, New York, Florida, and Illinois accounted for 40 percent of total public-supply withdrawals and 38 percent of the total population served by public suppliers.	California, Texas, New York, Florida, and Illinois accounted for 40 percent of total public-supply withdrawals and 37 percent of the total population served by public suppliers.

Public supply--Table 5

Revised:

STATE	POPULATION (in thousands)			WITHDRAWALS (in million gallons per day)			WITHDRAWALS (in thousand acre-feet per year)
	Total	Served by public supply		By source		Total	By source		Total
	Total	Population	Population (in percent)	Ground water	Surface water	Total	Ground water	Surface water	Total

New York	19,000	17,100	90	583	1,980	2,570	653	2,220	2,880

TOTAL	285,000	242,000	85	16,000	27,300	43,300	17,900	30,600	48,500

Original version:

STATE	POPULATION (in thousands)			WITHDRAWALS (in million gallons per day)			WITHDRAWALS (in thousand acre-feet per year)
	Total	Served by public supply		By source		Total	By source		Total
	Total	Population	Population (in percent)	Ground water	Surface water	Total	Ground water	Surface water	Total

New York	19,000	15,400	81	583	1,980	2,570	653	2,220	2,880

TOTAL	285,000	240,000	84	16,000	27,300	43,300	17,900	30,600	48,500

Domestic

Location	Revised	Original version
Second paragraph	For 2000, withdrawals were an estimated 3,590 Mgal/d or 4,030 thousand acre-feet per year. Self-supplied domestic withdrawals were about 1 percent of total freshwater withdrawals and about 2 percent of total freshwater withdrawals for all categories excluding thermoelectric power. About 43.5 million people were self-supplied. Ground water was the primary source of the water (98 percent). Between 1995 and 2000, self-supplied domestic withdrawals increased about 6 percent and the self-supplied domestic population increased about 2 percent. However, the self-supplied domestic population was 15 percent of the total U.S. population.	For 2000, withdrawals were an estimated 3,720 Mgal/d or 4,170 thousand acre-feet per year. Self-supplied domestic withdrawals were about 1 percent of total freshwater withdrawals and about 2 percent of total freshwater withdrawals for all categories excluding thermoelectric power. About 45 million people were self-supplied. Ground water was the primary source of the water (98 percent). Between 1995 and 2000, self-supplied domestic withdrawals increased about 10 percent and the self-supplied domestic population increased almost 7 percent. However, the self-supplied domestic population remained at 16 percent of the total U.S. population.
Third paragraph	The largest self-supplied domestic withdrawals and self-supplied populations were in California and Michigan. These two States represented 15 percent of the total self-supplied domestic withdrawals and 15 percent of the total self-supplied domestic population.	The largest self-supplied domestic withdrawals and self-supplied populations were in California and New York. These two States represented 15 percent of the total self-supplied domestic withdrawals and 16 percent of the total self-supplied domestic population.

Domestic--Table 6

Revised:

STATE	POPULATION (in thousands)				WITHDRAWALS (in million gallons per day)			WITHDRAWALS (in thousand acre-feet per year)
	Total	Served by public supply	Self-supplied domestic		By source		Total	By source		Total
	Total	Served by public supply	Population	Population (in percent)	Ground water	Surface water	Total	Ground water	Surface water	Total

New York	19,000	17,100	1,890	10	142	0	142	159	0	159

TOTAL	285,000	242,000	43,500	15	3,530	58.9	3,590	3,960	66.1	4,030

Original version:

STATE	POPULATION (in thousands)				WITHDRAWALS (in million gallons per day)			WITHDRAWALS (in thousand acre-feet per year)
	Total	Served by public supply	Self-supplied domestic		By source		Total	By source		Total
	Total	Served by public supply	Population	Population (in percent)	Ground water	Surface water	Total	Ground water	Surface water	Total

New York	19,000	15,400	3,600	19	270	0	270	303	0	303

TOTAL	285,000	240,000	45,200	16	3,660	58.9	3,720	4,110	66.1	4,170

Domestic--Figure 6

	Revised	Original version
6a map	New York is in the range of 50 to 250 million gallons per day	New York was in the range of 250 to 300 million gallons per day
6a graph	New York bar graph value is 142 million gallons per day	New York bar graph value was 270 million gallons per day
6b upper map	New York is in the range of 1,000 to 3,000 thousand	New York was in the range of 3,000 to 4,000 thousand
6b lower map	New York is in the range of 0 to 10 percent	New York was in the range of 10 to 30 percent

Trends in water use, 1950-2000

Location	Revised	Original version
Seventh paragraph	The percentage of population served by public suppliers increased from 62 percent for 1950 to 85 percent for 2000.	The percentage of population served by public suppliers increased from 62 percent for 1950 to 84 percent for 2000.
Eighth paragraph	Estimated withdrawals for self-supplied domestic use increased by 71 percent between 1950 and 2000. The self-supplied domestic population was 57.5 million people for 1950, or 38 percent of the total population. For 2000, 43.5 million people, or 15 percent of the total population, were self-supplied.	Estimated withdrawals for self-supplied domestic use increased by 77 percent between 1950 and 2000. The self-supplied domestic population was 57.5 million people for 1950, or 38 percent of the total population. For 2000, 45.2 million people, or 16 percent of the total population, were self-supplied.

Trends--Table 14

Revised:

	Year											Percentage change
	¹1950	²1955	³1960	⁴1965	⁴1970	³1975	³1980	³1985	³1990	³1995	³2000	1995-2000

Offstream use:
Rural domestic and livestock:
Self-supplied domestic	2.1	2.1	2.0	2.3	2.6	2.8	3.4	3.32	3.39	3.39	3.59	+6
Source of water:
Ground:
Fresh	34	47	50	60	68	82	83	73.2	79.4	76.4	83.3	+9

Original version:

	Year											Percentage change
	¹1950	²1955	³1960	⁴1965	⁴1970	³1975	³1980	³1985	³1990	³1995	³2000	1995-2000

Offstream use:
Rural domestic and livestock:
Self-supplied domestic	2.1	2.1	2.0	2.3	2.6	2.8	3.4	3.32	3.39	3.39	3.72	+10
Source of water:
Ground:
Fresh	34	47	50	60	68	82	83	73.2	79.4	76.4	83.4	+9

Water Use in the United States | USGS Water Resources of the United States

For more information: wu-info@usgs.gov